Trim strip assembly



July 17, 1962 R. H. WHYTE 3,044,587

TRIM STRIP ASSEMBLY Filed April 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RONA]. H. WHYTE BY HIS A TORNEY pm? I I INVENTOR.

July 17, 1962 R. H. WHYTE 3,

TRIM STRIP ASSEMBLY Filed April 21, l960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RON/U. H. WHYTE HIS ATTORNEY 3,044,587 'IRM STRIP ASSEMBLY Renal II. Whyte, Dayton, ()hio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 23,823 3 Claims. (Cl. 189-88) This invention relates to a trim strip assembly and more particularly to a fastening arrangement for attaching an edge trim flush to the trimmed panel.

In the manufacture of domestic appliances, the attaching of trim to the appliance cabinets is a tedious and exacting job. Especially is this so when the trim is applied flush to the edge of a panel in order to give the appliance a square look. It is desirable that the trim be attached to the cabinet by invisible means and that the trim be removable easily for servicing. It is to these ends that the present invention is directed.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a flush mounted trim strip for an appliance cabinet.

It is also an object of this inventionto provide a trim strip which is attachable by invisible means.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a unitary trim strip for a cabinet which is removable from the outside of the cabinet.

A more particular object of this invention is the provision of a trim strip fastener having a resilient loop for attaching the fastener to an appliance cabinet and legs projecting externally of said cabinet for receiving retainin'g flanges of a trim strip.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a laundry appliance provided with the trim strip of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the trim strip prior to its being lockingly positioned on the cabinet.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of a cabinet trim strip fastening assembly from the outside of the cabinet.

FIGURE 4 is a similar exploded view of the trim strip fastening assembly from the inside of the cabinet.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the parts in assembled relationship viewed from the inside of the cabinet.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the fastener clip.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view partly in elevation taken along line 9-9 in FIGURE 4.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGURE 1, a clothes washer 10 is shown having a top and control housing portion 12 and a cabinet portion 14. The cabinet portion of the appliance is made up of side walls or panels 16 and 18 and a front panel 20 set out from the appliance to form a toe space 22. The front panel 20 is formed with a front wall 21 having integral side portions 32. In order to give the appliance a square look appearance a trim strip, shown generally at 24, is used to circumscribe the top and sides of the front panel 28.

The trim strip 24 is of integral inverted U-shaped design and is comprised of a top portion 26 and side portions 28 and 30 which closely hug the side portions 32 of the front panel 20.

Further details of the cabinet 14 are shown in FIGURE 4. In this illustration the front panel 20 has an inturned ported flange 34 in juxtaposition to a similarly inwardly directed flange 36 on theside wall 16. These juxtaposed flanges 34, 36 may be welded, as at 38, to correctly assemble the front and side portions of the cabinet 14. At the juncture of the front wall 21 with the side portions 32 of the front panel an aperture 40' is formed for the purposes of receiving means for attaching the front side of the trim strip 24, as will he described more fully hereinafter. Opposite fromthe aperture 40 is a relatively larger or elongated aperture 42 at the juncture of the front panel wall portions 32 and flange 34 for receiving means for attaching the rear side of the trim strip 24. The apertures 40 and 42 are used in conjunction with the attachin g means embodied on a trim strip fastener or clip, shown generally at 44.

With reference to FIGURE 8, thetrim strip clip or fastener 44 is comprised of a base portion 46 having a trim strip front side attachment leg 48 extending in one direction and a trim strip rear side fastening leg 50 extending in the opposite direction. Cam surfaces 52 and 54 are bent or formed into the leg 50 to facilitate relative movement between clip 44 and trim strip 24 in the application and removal of the trim strip from the front panel 20 of the appliance. Further, the fastener 44 includes a looped portion 56 on the inner edge 58 of which is a lanced out tab 60 for locking the clip 44 to the juxtaposed flanges 34 and 36, as seen in FIGURE 5. Note that the tab 60 extends into an aperture or flange port 62 in the ported flange 34. This substantially locks the clip 44 to the assembled cabinet. Note also that the clip 44 is of integral or unitary design, the leg 58 of the loop '56 merging into the base portion 46 of the clip through a step 64 to provide clearance for the trim strip 24, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

As best seen in FIGURE 7, the trim strip 24 is provided with a turned over or reversely bent front head or flange 66 along the entire front edge of the trim strip and a relatively short'reversely bent rear retaining flange 68. In general, the front beador retaining flange 66 engages the clip leg 48 while the rear retaining flange 68 engages the clip leg 50 for holding the trim strip 24 to the side wall 32 of the front panel 20. Note also, as best seen in FIGURE 4, that the front retaining flange 66 extends the entire length of the trim strip whereas the rear retaining flange 68 is relatively short. It is the retaining flange 68 which fits within the elongated opening 42 during assem- 'bly of the trim strip to the front panel 20, as will be described next following.

To assemble the trim strip 24 to the front panel '20 of the cabinet 14, the trim strip is placed in the position shown in FIGURE 2. By slightly warping or twisting the depending legs 28, 30 of the trim strip, the front retaining flange 66 of each leg may be slipped over the clip 48. As the trim strip is allowed to straighten, the relatively short rear retaining flange 68 will pivotally move into the slot 42 above the rear retaining leg 50 of the clip so that the trim strip assumes the position shown in FIGURE 2. Then the entire trim strip 24 is slid or pushed downwardly so that the small flange 68 interlocks behind the retaining leg 50, thereby locking the trim strip to the front panel 20. It is at this time that the cam surfaces 52 and 54 are utilized in camming the flange 68 in an easy manner onto the leg 50 of the clip. Note that the slight raised portion terminating the clip leg 50 will bias inwardly the trim strip flange 68, thereby snugly to retain the trim strip in an antirattle manner. Lastly, a fastening means, such as a screw 70, is inserted through the top wall 26 of the trim strip and into an aperture 72 in the top flange of the front panel 20. Then the top control housing portion 12 is secured to the cabinet 14 to effect the assembled appliance shown in FIGURE 1. It should be noted that the trim strip 24 may be easily removed from the cabinet 14 simply by reversing the aforementioned steps. This removal may be accomplished without reaching on the inside of the cabinet 14. It should now be seen that an improved trim strip assembly has been provided'fjor a cabinet which enhances the square look appearance of the appliance as well as effects a simplified, but positive locking action of the trim strip with the cabinet. It is contemplated that three clips 44 will be used to retain each leg 28 and 300i the trim strip. In this case it should be understood that a separate pair of apertures such as 40, 42 will be required for each clip used and that the trim strip will need a rear retaining flange such as 6-8 for each clip used. However, it is within the purview of this invention to use any suitable number of these clips depending on the length of the trim strip to be applied. Q f

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows: 7 a

1. In combination with a panel having a front wall, a

side wall and a ported flange, said panel having a relatively long aperture at the juncture of said side wall with said flange and a relatively short aperture at the juncture of said front'wall with said side Wall, a trimstrip in juxtaposition to said side wall and having a relatively long retaining flange adjacent said relatively short aperture and a relatively short retaining flange adjacent said relatively long aperture, and a unitary trim strip fastener having a base portion and a fastener attachment portion, said attachment portion having a loop for grippingly engaging said panel flange and a lanced out tab cooperating with said flange'port to lock saidfastener to said panel flange, and saidbase portion having a first trirn strip retaining leg extending through said relatively short aperture into retaining engagement with said, relatively long retaining flange'and a second trim strip retaining leg extending through said relatively long aperture into retaining engagement'with said relatively short retaining flange.

2. In combination with a panel having a front wa1l,a side wall and aflange, said panel having a first aperture at the juncture of said side wall with said flange and a second aperture at the juncture of said front wall with said side wall, a trim strip in juxtaposition to said side wall and having a relatively long retaining flange adjacent said second aperture and a relatively short retaining flange adjacent said first aperture, and a unitary trim strip fastener having a base portion and a fastener attachment portion, said attachment portion having a loop for grippingly engaging said panel flange to retain said fastener to said panel flange, and said base portion having a first trim strip retaining leg extending through said second aperture into retaining engagement with said relatively long retaining flange and a second trim strip retaining leg ofiset from said base portion and extending through said first aperture into retaining and biasing engagement with said relatively short retaining flange.

3. In combination with a cabinet panel having a front wall, a top Wall, a pair of side walls and a ported flange, said panel having a relatively long aperture at the juncture of at least one of said side walls with said flange and a relatively short aperture at the juncture of said front wall with at least one of said sidewalls, an inverted 'U- shaped trim strip in juxtaposition to said side walls and said top wall andhaving an exposed peripherally arranged relatively long retaining flange abutting said front wall adjacent said relatively short aperture and a concealed relatively short retaining flange adjacent said relatively long aperture, a unitary trim strip fastener having a base portion and'a fastener attachment portion, said attachment portion having a loop for grippingly engaging said panel flange and a lanced out tab cooperating with said flange port to lock said fastener to said panel flange, and said base portion having a first trim strip retaining leg extending through said relatively short aperture into retaining engagement with said relatively long retaining flange and a second trim strip retaining leg extending through said relatively long aperture into retaining engagement with said relatively short retaining flange, and means for securing said trim strip to said top Wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent '2,837,l84 Fernberg a June 3, 1958 Bedford Apr. 24, 1956, 

